Stop motion for weft replenishing looms



April 19, 19.49 w. H. WAKEFIELD 2,467,871

STOP MOTION FOR WEFT REPLENISHING' LoOMS Filed May 19, 1948 2Sheets-Sheet 1 \l H llllhlllllllllllllll llilllllllllll INVENTOR WALTERH. WAKEFIELD ATTORNEY April 1949'- w. H. WAKEFIELD s'ror MOTION FOR WEFTREPLENISHING LOOMSY 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed May 19, 1948 FIG.4'

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INVENTOR WALTER H. WAKEFIELD ATTORN EY Patented Apr. 19, 1949 2,467,811s'ror MOTION FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOOMS Walter H. Wakefield, Worcester,Mass., assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass., acorporation of Massachusetts Application May 19, 1948, Serial No. 27,898

This invention relates to improvements in weft replenishing looms auditis the general object of the invention to provide means for stopping theloom if the picker is worn so badly that it permits the shuttle to boxtoo deeply for a proper bobbin transfer. I

In weft replenishing looms an initiated bobbin transferring operationiscompleted if the shuttle is boxed beyond a given point on the lay but isrevoked if the shuttle is insufliciently boxed and projects inwardlyfrom the point toward the center of the loom. If the picker shouldbecome badly worn the shuttle can pass beyond the aforesaid pointand beboxed so deeply that the butt of the incoming. bobbin will be forceddown against a solid part of theshuttle with resultant breakage. Weftreplenishing looms are not ordinarily provided with anymeans for takingcare of this lattercondition and it is an important object of thepresent invention to provide means by which the loomjwill be stopped ifthe shuttle is too deeply boxedfor: transfer and has passed beyondregistry with ,the, bobbin in transfer position. I

It is another object of; the presentinvention to provide an auxiliaryshuttle feeler controlled by the primary shuttle feeler for effectingthe aforesaid loom stoppage. The auxiliary shuttle feeler set forthhereinafter operates in a manner the opposite of; that-of the usualshuttle feeler in that a shuttle properly placed for transfer willengage the auxiliary feeler and prevent it from acting to changeloomoperation.

A shuttle may be in'any'one of three positions when a. replenishingoperation is called.v It may be correctly placed, in which-eventtransfer should be permitted to, proceed normally, it may beinsufiiciently, boxed, in which event transfer should be revoked, or itmay be too deeply boxed to receive a bobbin, and. the loom should bestopped. It is a further. object'of the invention- Fig. 1 is a sideelevation partly-in section of a the present invention ap'plie'd' loomhaving thereto,

Fig. 251s an enlargedside elevation of part of 16 Claims. (Cl. 139-290)the structure shown in Fig. 1, parts being in section, showing theauxiliary shuttle feeler in detecting position preparatory to a weftreplen-. ishing operation of the loom and showing the lay in twopositions, Fig. 3 is a plan view looking in the direction of arrow 3,Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a vertical enlarged section on line 4 4 of Fig. 2, p Fig. 5 isa side elevation partly in section showing, the manner in which theauxiliary shuttle feeler is reset,

Fig. 6 15a plan view of the shuttle box and associated shuttle pickingmechanism, and

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view of an electric circuit which can be usedwith the invention.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and2, the loom frame It! supports areciprocating lay H carrying a shuttle box l2 which receives a shuttle SA dagger l3 on the lay is provided for enagement with a transferrerlatch 14 mounted on a bobbin transferrer arm [5 pivotally mounted Thelatch IA is normally when a replenishing operation is to occur. The.

magazine is provided with a fixed stud 20 pivotally supporting hub 2| ofa casting 22 formed with two arms 23 and 24, see Figs. 2 and 3. An up.-

wardly extending rod 25 is attached to arm 24 and determines thevertical position of a primary shuttle position detector-0r shuttlefeeler 26 of usual form secured to arm 23. Ordinarily rod 25 is in'itsraised position and the shuttle feeler- 26 is in its normal nondetecting elevated position so a lay carried element, such as the backwall 21 of the shuttle box, passes under the shuttle feeler withoutstriking it. When a replenishing operation is called rod 25 descends atthe same time rod [1 rises and lowers the' shuttle feeler to thedetecting position shown in Fig. 2.

transfer proceeds in usual manner and the shuttle feeler is later raisedby the box back 21. f For the purposes of this description arm 23 and,

shuttle feeler 26 may be considered the primary shuttle feeler.

The shipper and brake handles 30 and 3|, r ef spectively, operate inusual manner and when If the shuttle is insufficiently boxed it engagesand raises the shuttle. feeler 26 and raises rod 25 to revoke thetransfer, otherwiseposition by a light coil spring 31 the upper end:

of which is fixed as at 38. A rod 39 depends from the knock-off latch 36and is connected to.

the core 40 of a normally deenergized stationary but verticallyadjustable solenoid 4|.

A knock-0E dagger 42 on the lay-oordinarily Q passes under the latch 36,but when .the latter is pulled down against the action of spring31 dueto energization of solenoid 4i, dagger 42 engages the latch 36 and rocksthe brake handlelto the right as viewed in Fig. l to stopping position.A thrust screw 43 on the shipper handle is pushed rearwardly by thebrakehandle and causes the shipper. lever 38 to move to stoppingposition along with the brake lever 3|.

The matter thus far described is ofknown construction and operates inthe usual manner and except as pointed out hereinafter'forms no part ofthe present invention. Reference may be had to Darwin Patent No.2,263,983 for further description of latch 36 and the parts associatedtherewith.

The shuttle S is picked from the shuttle box by a. picker 45, see Fig.6, slidable along a lay cairrled'picker spindle, 46 by means of powerderived from av picker stick 4?, The end of the layls formed with a wall48 along the inner side of which is located a hunter .49 which may beformed of-several folds of leather or other resilient materlal. Thisbunter is in contact with the head 50 of the picker which engages theshuttle, and

the hunter is so mounted that it can be moved too far for a properreplenishing operation... As

shown in full lines in Fig. 6 the shuttle is pro s erly placed toreceive the'reserve bobbin B,"Fig. 1, when it isipushed ,down out of themagazine into the shuttle by the transferrer arm [5. Un-r dertheseconditionsthe inner or left end of the shuttle as viewed in Fig, 6willclear-the shuttle.

feelerarm. 26 as thelay moves forwardly from thefulltothe dotted. lineposition of Fig; '2 and the initiated. replenishing operation can .becom plated; If the excessive Wearof the picker head. 50. sh uld m t shutle to box t o de ply and su e tte l p io h wn. in Fi 6. the bu t of heincomin b bbin l e over a olid Part o he s uttle, such as that indicat dat 55, and will not be able to enter the holding spring clips 56 of theshuttle. Under these conditions it is desirable to stop the loom so thatthe picker can either be replaced or shims or the like be placed betweenthe hunter 49 and wall 48 so thatthe picker 45 can come to rest in thefull line position shown in Fig. 6.

Irltarryihg the invention into effect I provide an auxiliary orsecondary shuttle position detector or shuttle feeler .60 pivoted as at'El toarrn .23 ofcastingnfl. A springplunger. 62 .pn arm 23 4 enters ashallow notch 63 on the auxiliary feeler B0 to hold the same yieldinglin normal position with both the primary and auxiliary shuttle feelersnormally aligned as indicated for instance in Fig. 2.

The. auxiliary shuttle, feeler 6.0 has. mounted thereon a loomcontroller in the form of an electric switch 65 having an arm 66extending downwardly and forwardly, or to the right as viewed in Fig. 2.Switch 65 is normally open and solehold 41 willnorm'ally be deenergized,see Fig. 7, but when switch 65 is closed the solenoid will be energized.

Under normal conditions both shuttle feelers 2 6- and will beln raisednon-detecting position, but upon initiation of a weft replenishingoperation both feelers will be lowered to detecting position. due todescent of rod 25. Under this condition the shuttle feeler 60 and switchare in controlling or .stopp risposition. If the shuttle is-il t. slflitientlyxboxedftheiusual or primary huttle .feeler 2.6,wlll bcfraised'by themisplaced shuttle as. the lay advances. andtransfer'will beprevented or. revoked. If, on the other hand, the shuttle is in thedotted line position of Fig. 3 and is correctly placed for transfer itwill advance to oneside of theshutt'lejfeeler 26 and the latter willremain down, therebypermitting completion of th initiatedreplenishing.operation.

' When the shuttle in the dotted line position of Fig. 3 it willraisejthegauxiliary.shuttle feeler 60 .at' a given point in thecycle oftheloom as t e lay advances "beiore. the .box back 21 engages arm 66 of'switchffii. Thi'latterfwill therefore be moved away .rr'omltsistopping' or controlling position and remain open "asshuttle feeler6D rises and thegsolenoid will not .beenrgized. If, however, theshuttles'h'ould be tooideeply. boxed for correct transfer due to anexcessivelyworn picker and assumethe dot and'dash line position shown inFig. 3 it willnotenga e, the auxiliary feeler and the latter will meandown subsequent to said point-in the loom'cycle so that the advancingshuttle box back 21 will engage arm' 66 and close the switch '65. willclose the, circuit shownin Fig. 7 toelierg'ia'eth 561mm and movestoplatch 36 into thepath of the advancing stopping'bunter'fljto eflectrocking of the shipper and brake handles as 'already described to stopthe ml The "auxiliary feeler 60 .is preierablytset-so that-itwill-effect loom stoppage before wearing of "the picker fwill permitsuch deep boxing of' the shuttle as. will result in'breakage atthe'tlme"of transfer.

Under normal conditionsojf transfer the auxiliary shuttie feeler. 60will be'raise'd with respect to the primaryfshuttle feeler 26 and springplunger .262. will move'outoLpocket 63. This upward movement of feeler60 fwill occur while shuttle feelerJZE isstlll down, audit is necessaryto restorerthe normal're'lation of the two huttle feelers. i

the lay. approaches. front center position durin a normal: replenishingoperation the box back 21 will engage the primary shuttle feeler 26 andraise it tov reset thei.zmagazine. During hi pwa d movement; of the:primary shuttle feeler the auxiliary, vfeelerwilibe movedagainst aresetting stop '10,; seeFifss- 2 and. 5, so that as the s ut lei l r 2.5returns toitsnormai reset position it will rise. relatlvely ito theauxiliary shuttle .feeler and. will eventually restore thenormalrositions of thetwo feelers; 'rhis restoration may be efiectedeither entirely by action oisto H1, or .partlybr-action ot the stop ndpartly by camming action of the spring plunger as it reenters the recessor notch 63. In either event both shuttle feelers will be returned totheir normal position upon completion of a replenishing operation.

It should also be noted that the feelers will be reset if both areengaged by a misplaced shuttle. Resetting will also occur even thoughthe auxiliary shuttle feeler should be missed by a shuttle which is toodeeply boxed. This is because of the fact that under these conditionsspring plunger 62 will lift feeler 60 when feeler 26 is raised.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided simple means bywhich loom operation can be controlled due to the position of theshuttle on replenishing beats of the loom, and wherein a shuttle whichis too deeply boxed for proper transfer and has passed beyond registrywith the bobbin in transfer position will cause closure of switch 55 bybox back 2'! to effect loom stoppage. The auxiliary feeler is controlledby the usual mechanism which places the primary shuttle feeler inshuttle detecting position preparatory to a replenishing operation, andboth shuttle feelers are returned to normal position after initiation ofa replenishing operation whether the primary shuttle feeler be engagedby a misplaced shuttle, whether the replenishing operation proceedsnormally or whether the auxiliary shuttle feeler is not engaged by theshuttle but is raised by the primary feeler clue to action of springplunger 62. The shuttle can be insufficiently boxed, correctly boxed, ortoo deeply boxed for transfer, and the shuttle feelers will actaccordingly to exercise the appropriate control over the loom.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes andmodifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wishto'be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a weft replenishing loom in which a shuttle to be replenished maybe correctly boxed for bobbin transfer, or be insufficiently boxed ortoo deeply boxed for correct bobbin transfer, shuttle position detectingmeans including primary and auxiliary shuttle feelers normally in non--detecting position but moved to detecting position preparatory to a weftreplenishing operation, the primary shuttle feeler revoking thereplenishing operation if the shuttle is insufiiciently boxed, and meanscontrolled by the auxiliary shuttle feeler to stop the loom if theshuttle is too deeply boxed, said shuttle feelers being ineffective torevoke the replenishing operation or effect loom stoppage if the shuttleis correctly boxed.

2. In a weft replenishing loom in which a shuttle to be replenished maybe too deep-1y boxed for correct bobbin transfer, a shuttle positionfeeler normally in non-detecting position but moved to shuttle detectingposition preparatory to a weft replenishing operation, and loomcontrolling means including a part controlled by the shuttle feelereffective to stop the loom if the shuttle is too deeply boxed to engagethe shuttle feeler.

3. In a weft replenishing loom in which a shuttle to be replenished maybe correctly boxed for bobbin transfer or be too deeply boxed forcorrect bobbin transfer, a lay moving the shuttle forwardly on a weftreplenishing beat of the loom, a shuttle position feeler in shuttledetecting position on a weft replenishing beat, means controlled by theshuttle feeler and operated by the lay to eifectstoppag'e of the loom ifthe shuttle is too deeply boxed for correct transfer, said shuttlefeeler being positioned to be engaged by the shuttle if the latter iscorrectly boxed and moved by the shuttle to prevent said means frombeing operated by the lay.

4. In a weft replenishing loom in which a lay carried shuttle to bereplenished by a reserve bobbin may be correctly boxed for bobbintransfer or be too deeply boxed for correct bobbin transfer, a shuttleposition detector normally in nondetecting position but moved todetecting position on a replenishing beat of the loom, an elec-' tricswitch on said detector moved into the path of the lay when the detectormoves to detecting position, and electric means effective to stop theloom when the switch is closed, the shuttle if correctly boxed forbobbin transfer engaging said shuttle feeler as the lay advances andmoving the shuttle feeler to move the switch to a position in which itcannot be closed by the lay, and the shuttle feeler in the event theshuttle is too deeply boxed to engage the shuttle feeler holding theswitch in position to be closed by the lay.

5. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay and a shuttle on the laywhich at the time of a weft replenishing operation of the loom may becorrectly boxed for bobbin transfer or may be too deeply boxed fortransfer, a shuttle position de-'- tector normally-in non-detectingposition out of the path of the'lay but movedto detectingposition-preparatory to a weft replenishing'operation of the loom, anormally open electric switch on the shuttle position detector, meanseffective upon closure of the switch to effect loom stoppage, and anelement on the lay for operation of the switch, the shuttle whencorrectly boxed engaging the shuttle position detector to move thelatter to move the switch out of the path of said element, the shuttleposition detector in the event that the shuttle is too deeply boxed forcorrect transfer remaining in detecting position to effect closure ofthe switch by said element.

6. In a weft replenishing loom havingza lay provided with a shuttle'whichmay be'correctly boxed for bobbin transfer on a weft replenishingbeat of the loom, or may be insufficiently boxed or too deeply boxed forcorrect bobbin transfer, a primary shuttle position detector normally innon-detecting position but moving to shuttle position'detecting positionincident to a weft replenishing operation of the loom and effective toprevent the weft replenishing operation if the shuttle is insufiicientlyboxed, a second shuttle position detector mounted on the primarydetector and moving to detecting position when the primary detectormoves to detecting position, the secondary, detector being engaged andmoved by the shuttlewhen the latter is correctly positioned fortrans-fer but being unmoved" by the shuttle if the latter is too deeplyboxed for correct bobbin transfer, and means effective to stop fer, andin' the third of which the shuttle is toodeeply boxed for correcttransfer, and shuttlepo'sltion detector means normally in non-detect-7., ins-Positionv but moved to. detectingposition pre paratory to a weftreplenishingoperationand effective to prevent the weit replenishingoperation if the shuttle is in the first of said positions. permit theweft replenishing operation if the shuttle is in the second of saidpositions, and stopthe loom if the shuttle is in the third of saidpositions.

8. In a weft replenshing, loom having a lay provided with a shuttlewhich may be insufficiently boxed for a bobbin transfer, correctly boxedfor a bobbin transfer, or too deeply boxed for a cor rect bobbintransfer, a primary shuttle feeler, a secondary shuttle feeler pivotedon. the primary feeler, both of said shuttle feelers being normally in agiven position relatively to each other and normally in non-detectingposition and both moved to detecting position preparatory to a weftreplenishing operation of the loom, theprimary feeler being moved awayfrom the detecting position thereof when the shuttle, is insufficientlyboxed and effecting movement of the sec ondary shuttle feeler away fromthe detecting position thereof, said primary shuttle feeler remaining indetecting position if the shuttle is correctly boxed, the shuttle whencorrectly boxed engaging the secondary shuttle feeler to move thelatter-with respect to th primary shuttle feeler but remaining indetecting position if the shuttle is too deeply boxed for correcttransfer, and means effecting loom stoppagelif the secondary shuttlefeeler remains in detecting position due to thefact that the shuttle istoo. deeply boxed.

9. In a weft replenishing .loom having a lay provided with a shuttlewhich maybe insufficiently boxed for a bobbin transfer, correctly boxedfor a bobbin transfer, ortoo deeply boxed for a correct bobbin transfer,a primary shuttle feeler, a secondary shuttle feeler pivoted on theprimary feeler, both of .said shuttle feelers being normally in a givenposition relatively to each other and normally in non-detecting positionand both moved to detecting position preparatory to a weft replenishingoperation of the loom, the primary feeler being moved away from thedetecting position. thereof when the shuttle is insufficiently boxed andeffecting movement of the secondary shuttle feeler away from thedetecting position thereof, said primary shuttle feeler re-- maining indetecting position. if the shuttle is correctly boxed, the shuttle whencorrectly boxed engaging the secondary shuttle feeler to move the latterwith respect to the primary shuttle ieeler but remaining in detectingposition if, the shuttle is too deeply boxed for correct trans fer,means effecting loom stoppage if the secondary shuttle feeler remains indetecting position due to the fact thatthe shuttle is too deeply boxed,and means operating due to movement of the primary shuttle feeler fromthe detecting position thereof back to the normal non-(lee tectingposition thereof'to resetthe secondary shuttle feeler to said givennormal position relatively to the primary shuttle feeler.

10. In a weft replenishing loom having a shuttle to be replenished, saidshuttle capable of being insufliciently boxed for acorrect bobbintransfer, correctly boxed for a correct transfenor too deeply boxed forcorrect transfer, shuttle position detecting means including twoshuttlefeelers movable independently of each other and spaced in the directionof the length of the shuttle, one of said shuttle feelers in the eventthe shuttle is insufllciently boxed preventing the weft;

replenishing operation and means controlled by the other shuttle feelerin the event the shuttle is'too deep-1y boxed to effect loom stoppage,both of said shuttle feelers in the event the shuttle is properly placedpermitting completion of the Weft replenishing operation withoutrevoking the latter or stopping the loom.

11. In a weft replenishing loom in which a shuttle to be replenished maybe correctly boxed for bobbin transfer or'be too deeply boxed forcorrect transfer, a shuttle position detector positioned on areplenishing beat of the loom to be engaged by the shuttle if the latteris correctly boxed for bobbin transfer, and means including a loomcontroller moved by the shuttle feeler effective to stop the loom if theshuttle is too deeply boxed to engage the shuttle feeler,

12. In a weft replenishing loom in which a shuttle to be replenishedwith a reserve bob-bin may be correctly boxed to receive the bobbin ormay be too deeply boxed for correct reception of the bobbin, a shuttlefeeler in shuttle position detecting position on a replenishing beat ofthe loom engaged and moved by the shuttle if the latter is correctlyboxed but'unengaged by the shuttle if the latter is too deeply boxed forcorrect reception of the bobbin, loom controlling means moving with theshuttle feeler and located in stopping position when the shuttle feeleris in detecting position and remaining in stopping position if theshuttle does not engage the shuttle feeler, but moving to non-stoppingposition if the shuttle engages the shuttle feeler, and means to stopthe loom if the controller remains in stopping position.

13; In aweft replenishing loom in Which the shuttle to be replenished movcs forwardly with the lay and may be correctly boxed for a replenishingoperation or may .be too deeply boxed for a correct replenishingoperation, a movable shuttle feeler in stopping position in the path offorward movement of the lay and also in the path of forward movement ofthe shuttle if the latter is correctly boxed, and a loom controller onthe shuttle feeler' in the path of the layfor cooperation therewith toeffect loom stoppage if the shuttle feeler remains in stopping position,the shuttle feeler being engaged by the shuttle and moved thereby awayfrom stopping position if the shuttle is correctly boxed but remainingin stopping position if the shuttle is too deeply boxed to engage theshuttle feeler.

14. In a weft replenishing loom in which a shuttle to be replenished maybe too deeply boxed for correct bobbin transfer, a shuttle positionfeeler normally in non-detecting position but moved to shuttle detectingposition preparatory to a weft replenishing operation, and electric loomcontrolling means including an electric switch on the shuttle feelerefiective to stop the loom if the shuttle is too deeply boxed to engagethe shuttle feeler.

15. In a Weft replenishing loom in which a shuttle to be replenished maybe correctly boxed for bobbin transfer or be too deeply boxed forcorrect bobbin transfer, a lay moving the shuttle forwardly on a weftreplenishing beat of the loom, a shuttle position feeler normally innondetecting position but moved to detecting position preparatory to aweft replenishing operation of the loom, a loom controller moved fromnoncontrolling position to controlling position in the path of the layby the shuttle feeler when the latter moves to detecting position, theshuttle if correctly boxed engaging the shuttle feeler and therebyeffecting movement of the controller out of the path of the lay, and theshuttle if too deeply boxed failing to engage the shuttle feeler andfailing to effect movement of the controller out of the path of the lay,whereupon the controller is engaged by the lay, and means controlled bythe controller efiecting a change in loom operation when the lay engagessaid controller.

16. In a Weft replenishing loom in which a shuttle to be replenished maybe correctly boxed for bobbin transfer or too deeply boxed for correctlbobbin transfer, a shuttle position feeler normally in non-detectingposition but moved to detecting position With respect to the shuttlepreparatory to a Weft replenishing operation of the loom, a loomcontroller normally in non-controlling posi- 10 tion but moved tocontrolling position by the shuttie ieeler when the latter moves todetecting position, the shuttle if correctly boxed engaging the shuttlefeeler and effecting movement of the controller away from detectingposition at a given point in the cycle of the loom, the shuttle if toodeeply boxed for correct bobbin transfer failing to engage the shuttlefeeler, whereupon the controller remains in controlling positionsubsequent to said given point in the loom cycle, and means undercontrol of the controller effecting a change in loom operation if thecontroller remains in the controlling position thereof subsequent tosaid point in the loom cycle.

WALTER H. WAKEFIELD.

No references cited.

